4 years ago
I'm standing - well, pacing really - in a small room with some of the other acts who are currently waiting for their turn to audition. The air in the room is thick with emotion, and it only makes things worse by hearing the loud, deafening sound of the judges hitting their buzzers; nobody wants that to happen.
The crowd slowly whittles down to five acts, and my pacing hasn't helped my nerves, so I finally sit down. Across the room I notice a girl staring out the window, obviously trying to hide he tears in her eyes.
Of course emotions are high, but most people were crying because of nerves. She, however, seems to be crying for fear of not getting through, and I can relate to that, because I know how gutted I would be if I didn't make it.
So I walk over to her.
"Hey," I say in a soft, friendly tone. "Are you okay?"
She quickly wipes her eyes, avoiding looking my way. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just nervous, that's all."
"I think we all are," I say with a laugh, hoping to lighten the mood a bit and get her to smile, but she doesn't. "I'm sure you'll do great."
"Thanks," she says and finally looks up at me. "But why are you being so nice to me? I'm your competition."
I shrug. "If you're a better singer than me, then you're a better singer than me. But we all deserve a chance."
"How are you so calm?" she says, ignoring my previous comment and narrowing her eyes at me slightly.
"I'm not. I've been nervous about this for weeks, but I've accepted the fact that whatever happens... happens."
"Harry Styles," a crew member calls. "The judges are ready to see you."
I look over my shoulder at the woman wearing a headset standing in the doorway and then back to this girl sitting in front of me and sigh. "That's me. Good luck..." I trail off, realizing I haven't learned her name.
"(Y/N)," she says with a weak smile.
"Good luck, (Y/N)."
"You too, Harry."
-
Two weeks later
I'm standing in a different room now, but I still feel the same way I did before my audition. Unfortunately, my nerves resurfaced as I walked out on stage, but I sung my heart out and luckily I got through.
But I couldn't help but wonder if (Y/N) got through, too.
I haven't been able to see any of the other acts since they placed us in our corresponding categories. If I wasn't nervous at my audition, I'm sure as hell am nervous now, because the talent is only getting better. I feel so young and inexperienced compared to these other guys, but I push that thought aside and focus on my song.
"Harry Styles," the same woman from my audition calls and I swallow the lump in my throat as I follow her to the stage.
I'm handed a microphone, and before I have time to settle my nerves, I start singing.
Unfortunately, it works against me and I know my voice is not at it's best.
All I can do now is hope that the judges still put me through.
-
Two hours later and we're all called on stage to find out who moves on to the live shows. I want nothing more than to be one of those people.
We all stand on stage and face Simon as he congratulates us on our success up to this point before he begins to ramble off a list of names.
My heart sinks lower and lower in my chest at each named called that isn't mine. Tears begin to form at the corners of my eyes as my dream is literally being ripped away right in front of me - it literally feels like someone has just punched me in the gut.
